Hermione Granger-Malfoy had a secret. A good one.
One she was honestly never expecting to have, much less keep from her husband for any length of time.
And yet, as the sun rose on Christmas Eve morning and she watched the rays of golden light begin to filter through the curtains and form patterns on the pale skin of Draco's back, she found herself full to bursting with excitement about executing the plan she had put together in a bout of adrenalin-fueled focus yesterday afternoon.
But first, she had a far more pressing plan to put in motion.
She watched for a few more minutes as Draco's back moved rhythmically up and down, slow and even, relaxed in sleep. It never ceased to both baffle and thrill Hermione that, somehow, in the seven years that they had been married, he managed to get more and more gorgeous with each passing year.
She let her fingertips trace featherlight against the inked image covering his shoulder blade.
The tattoo there used to show a bare, peaceful landscape, rolling hills and bright sky, the back legs of the dragon visible on the ball of his shoulder, as if the majestic beast had just taken off on a morning flight.
But the landscape was no longer bare. Now, dotting the sky were two small dragons, their wings flapping to keep up with their dad.
Hermione smiled as she ran her fingers over the newer additions, remembering the joy they had both felt on the day that Draco had them done—at the same time that Hermione had added the constellations for Leo and Lyra to twine into her Amor Vincit Omnia tattoo.
A pang of emotion went through her and she couldn't help but lean down and press her lips into the soft skin of Draco's shoulder, running her hand more firmly up his back and into his hair as her lips journeyed up his neck and to his ear.
""Wake up, Draco." She whispered, punctuating her request with a soft bite to his earlobe, eliciting a groggy moan from the man himself.
Smiling, Hermione moved down, kissing along the entire length of his spine as Draco woke, stretching slowly as he hummed in satisfaction at her work.
"You know," he rasped, his voice still heavy with sleep, "I much prefer this wakeup call to Lyra jumping on the bed and kicking me in the stomach."
Hermione chuckled as Draco rolled over, before leaning her head down again and redoubling her ministrations against the taut skin of his abdomen.
She flicked her eyes up to his to see him lounging against the pillows, a satisfied smile on his face. She returned it with one of her own as her fingers teased over the waistband of his boxers.
"I'll certainly keep that in mind." Tucking her fingers under the elastic, she pulled the fabric down his legs low enough for Draco to kick off before wrapping one hand around his already hard cock, squeezing and moving up and down while she licked her way across his abs.
Draco pushed his head back against the pillows with a moan as Hermione smiled against his skin, still infinitely pleased that she could elicit these reactions out of him after all of these years.
Sliding down his body, she quickly replaced her hand with her mouth, licking along the length of the vein on the underside of him before taking him fully in her mouth, sinking down until his cock hit the back of her throat.
Draco's hand came up to tangle in her hair, pulling just enough to sting and send a zing of pleasure through her. "Fuck, love. That's so good. You're such a good girl."
Hermione groaned around him, the praise sending a rush of heat and wetness to her core.
She continued her work for a few more minutes, moving up and down, sucking and licking, while Draco's encouragements became more and more frantic—until he finally had enough and tightened his hold on her hair, pulling her off of him and simultaneously flipping them, now caging Hermione underneath him as she giggled breathlessly.
He smiled before leaning down, his lips capturing hers in a fierce, desperate kiss. Pulling away, he kissed along her jaw and to her ear before whispering, his warm breath fanning across her cheek.
"You're so good at sucking my cock, love. Can I fuck you with it now? Are you ready?" His voice was breathy and desperate.
Hermione nodded furiously, but Draco was already snaking his hand down her body, his fingers running through her swollen and soaked folds before two of them sunk deep inside of her, curling immediately to hit the spot on her front wall that made her scream.
Draco ran his nose up the side of her neck. "Fuck, love. You're so wet. So ready for me…"
Hermione gripped his arms, her head turning back and forth as pleasure coursed through her. "Yes, Draco. Please!"
Draco hummed against her before, with excruciating slowness, pulling his fingers out of her, drawing her wetness up and pressing his fingertips into her clit, circling the swollen bud for a few seconds as Hermione began to desperately mewl.
With a final chuckle, Draco leaned his weight on his other arm, pulling his hand up and sucking his fingers into his mouth, his eyes fluttering closed as Hermione watched him lick them clean, a look on his face as though he were tasting the most luxurious dessert.
Hermione groaned at the sight of it, causing Draco's eyes to flick down to hers and darken, the heat in them seeming to burn her alive.
Draco leaned in, and with a final kiss, lined himself up and pushed in and in and in until he was seated fully inside of her.
"So good, love. You did such a good job taking my cock."
Hermione arched her back, her knees closing around Draco's hips as she tried to pull him deeper, desperate for more, for everything he could give her.
He didn't deny her. Pulling back, he thrust back in, their skin slapping together as they each let out twin moans at the overwhelming feeling of it. Their pleasure echoing off of each other, heightening every sensation and driving them higher and higher…
"I love you so much, Hermione. Gods, you feel good. So perfect. You're so perfect." Draco continued to murmur his love and appreciation for her with each thrust as Hermione moaned, canting her hips to meet his each time.
"I love you Draco. I love you so much. Harder. Please, please fuck me harder.. I need you, I need you, please!" She moved her hands to grasp his shoulders, her fingernails digging into his skin.
Draco reared back, hooking her leg over one of his arms, opening her wider so he could get even deeper.
Hermione threw her head back, her pleasure beginning to peak.
"That's it, love. Give it to me. I need to feel you. Be a good girl and come for me. Come for me right now, Hermione."
He punctuated his words by bringing his thumb to her clit and pressing down, circling her with the perfect pressure to send her over the edge.
With a final desperate scream, Hermione shattered, colors bursting behind her eyes as she floated away from her body on a wave of pleasure. After a few more thrusts, Draco followed her over, yelling into the pillow as he found his release buried deep inside of her.
After he was finally spent, Draco collapsed beside her on the bed, pulling her over with him, his cock still inside of her as it began to soften.
He ran his hands gently up and down her back, just feeling her skin and soothing Hermione into utter contentment.
She wasn't sure how long they stayed like that before they felt the vibration of the wards. Staring into each other's eyes, Hermione and Draco smiled soft smiles at each other before untangling their legs and rolling out of bed, throwing on their robes and making their way down the hallway to the last door on the left.
With a quick wave of her wand, Hermione disengaged the wards and carefully cracked open the door to reveal a room with walls that all twinkled with the night sky, constellations and shooting stars dotting the room and creating a soothing glow.
"Mama! Dada!" Came Lyra's excited voice as she saw her parents. Leo too was smiling as he rolled out of bed, clad in the most adorable christmas pajamas Hermione had ever seen.
"Good morning, my loves!" She called, bending down and opening her arms for her children to fall into, kissing them both as they snuggled into her. Hermione was filled with warmth as she rested her head in their platinum curls, reveling in the moment before Draco called from behind her."
"Excuse me, but I believe it is my turn for some Leo Lion and Lyra Bird hugs!"
The kids giggled and pulled back from Hermione before running to Draco and throwing themselves into his arms.
Hermione stood and observed the scene, smiling as she watched Draco light up with love for his children.
Several hours, two tantrums, and only a mildly exhausting effort to get Leo and Lyra in their Christmas outfits later, The Malfoy family walked through the floo into Weasley-Nott Manor, the designated location for this year's Christmas Eve celebration. Leo and Lyra immediately took off into a run toward the sound of children's laughter in the salon.
"Hey! No running!" Hermione called from behind them while Draco threw his arm around her.
Her words had absolutely no impact on her children, who continued to run wildly toward their friends.
"You didn't honestly think that would work, did you?" Draco joked before kissing her temple and walking with her into the salon, which was already filled to bursting with their friends and a cadre of children weaving around chairs and tables as they played made up games with one another.
George made his way to them through the crowd, levitating a bottle of wine and glasses with him.
"We woke up to Freddie having levitated all of our clothes above the roof. Took us over an hour to get everything down." He shook his head, exasperated, while pouring them all some very large glasses of wine.
Hermione laughed as she shrugged. "You've no one to blame but yourself, George. Fred is working through that little girl, and clearly he decided to play a Christmas prank on you."
Hermione reached out, squeezing his arm as George's eyes went momentarily soft before he shook his head and looked up toward the sky. "Well I could take a few less jokes, brother! I understand why mum was so exasperated with us all the time now!"
Hermione just smiled and leaned her head against George for a moment before grasping Draco's hand and walking into the fray.
Hermione spent the next few hours smiling, laughing, and commiserating with their found family.
Lee and Percy were beginning to feel the stress of Alfie's impending first year at Hogwarts.
George and Theo were celebrating Weasley's Wizard Wheezes going international, with new locations opening up in New York, Paris, and Japan.
Padma and Blaise were recounting their previous few months at Padma's ancestral home in India, where Nayan had fallen in love with the customs and culture, the young boy blown away by how colorful everything was and how happy he had been to be surrounded by his extended family.
Harry and Cho chased after James and Albus—both of whom were just as rambunctious as their father—Cho stopping frequently to catch her breath and thank Hermione profusely for her work to produce an anti-nausea potion for pregnant witches, since her current pregnancy—with a girl they planned to name Lily—was, in her words, "like being repeatedly hit in the stomach with a beater's bat."
Hermione had smiled and knowingly nodded, patting Cho's arm and assuring her that, with the potion, she'd be just fine.
Luna and Pansy, of course, listened intently to their stories before clinking their wine glasses and thanking the gods that they had chosen to remain childless and free to pick up and spend a month in Mykonos—or, in Luna's preference, a location deep in the Amazon that was inhabited by thousands of fairies—whenever they wanted.
The group spent the evening celebrating the season, exchanging gifts, and drinking copious amounts of Theo's wine. With each glass she drank, Hermione became more and more sure that Theo was using some form of illegal multiplying magic to keep his stores stocked since, at this point, their group of friends should well have drunk him dry.
The children made their way around, visiting with their many aunts and uncles before returning to their friends to play games and imagine fantastical worlds.
Albus had snuggled with Hermione for nearly an hour, babbling to her quietly about his older brother and the fairy tales that his dad told him about a three-headed dog, a life-size chess set, and a very smart little girl who was very good at solving riddles.
Alternatively, Lyra and Leo had spent most of their time with Luna and Pansy, Leo listening with rapt attention as Pansy regaled him with the newest fashion trends in Paris and Lyra listening to Luna explain her latest reporting trip in Brazil, complete with a very close call with a manticore.
It was perfect.
Hermione leaned into Draco's side as she took a moment to observe the scene, once again in awe of the life she had built for herself.
The next morning, Hermione and Draco both carried very wiggly children, still clad in their footie pajamas, through the floo to Malfoy Manor, where Narcissa and Pip both stood eagerly waiting in the traveling parlor for their arrival.
As soon as the family walked out of the fireplace, Pip began to bounce on the balls of his feet, his ears flapping as he clapped his hands together, the movement accentuating the sparkling gold sweater and silver pants he was wearing for the festive holiday.
Narcissa, too, was hardly containing her excitement, immediately dropping down and opening her arms as Draco and Hermione set the twins on the ground.
"My little darlings!" She called as the twins wobbled sleepily toward her. "Are you ready to open your presents? Are you excited?"
With that, Draco and Hermione both laughed as Leo and Lyra immediately wiggled out of Narcissa's grip and ran, whooping, down the hallway and toward the large parlor where they knew their gifts would be waiting.
Narcissa watched them go, humor in her eyes. "Well, I suppose I asked for that."
Draco stepped forward, pulling his mother into an embrace. "Indeed you did, mother."
"Well, Happy Christmas to you as well, dears!" Hermione stepped forward as Narcissa enveloped her in a hug.
"Yes! The happiest of Christmases Master Draco and Mistress Hermione! Pip has prepared a delicious feast for you! And he has planned a special surprise for Miss Lyra and Mr. Leo!" Pip hopped back and forth on his feet, smiling widely at Hermione and Draco.
"Thank you, Pip. And Happy Christmas!" Draco stepped forward, patting Pip on the shoulder before extending his arm to Narcissa to begin walking toward the grand salon, complete with a twelve-foot-tall Christmas tree.
Hermione was not sure if it would ever cease to amaze her how quickly children were able to rip open their presents, as if someone had wound them up and set them free to work as fast as possible to reveal what Santa had brought them.
(Before the twins' first Christmas, Hermione had sat both Draco and Narcissa down to inform them that, yes, they would be teaching Leo and Lyra about Santa and no, neither of them were allowed to tell them that the origin of the myth was actually derived from an ancient wizarding tale about an evil warlock who had attempted to build an army of children by bewitching sweets and presents and leaving them in their houses at night. And Draco and Narcissa were absolutely not allowed to inform Hermione's very tiny children that the reason his fur coat was described as being red was because he had dyed it with the blood of his victims.)
Now, on their fifth go-around, Hermione sat back on the couch to observe the damage. The entire salon seemed to be swimming in colorful wrapping paper as the twins shrieked and ran excitedly around, thrilled to have received both their first brooms and their first bicycles.
Thankfully, just as Hermione felt like her eardrums were about to explode, Pip popped into the room with a crack, clapping his hands together to get the kids' attention.
"Miss Lyra! Mr. Leo! Pip is having something very important to say! I is hiding ten very special sweets for you inside the house, but you will be having to work together to find them! You must be looking for some very special red and green sparks! That is where you will be finding them!"
With a final shriek, the twins went bounding out the door and barrelling down the hallway in search of their treasures.
And as soon as they left, Pip snapped his fingers and produced a large tray of tea, coffee, and two bottles of wine for the very overstimulated adults left behind.
Draco reached immediately for a glass. "Thank you for that, Pip. Though now they're sure to be bouncing off of the walls for the rest of the day."
Pip floated a glass of wine and teacup to Narcissa before handing the same to Hermione as he answered. "Oh do not be worrying, sir. Pip is making the sweets with fruits and vegetables only. But Miss Lyra and Mr. Leo will never know."
With a wink, he snapped away, leaving Narcissa, Draco, and Hermione to nearly fall to the floor laughing.
Many hours later, and far past the twins normal bedtime, Hermione and Draco each carried a sleeping child up to their room at the Manor, laying them down gently in their beds.
Hermione stood back while Draco completed his regular nighttime routine with the kids, smoothing their platinum curls out of their faces and placing a kiss on each of their foreheads, whispering his love for them into their ears as they snuggled into their blankets.
After, he walked over to Hermione, stepping behind her and wrapping his arms around her middle, kissing her softly on her temple.
"I still can't believe it, sometimes." He whispered, squeezing her to him.
Hermione hummed and nodded. She knew how he felt. Every day since the day she had found out she was pregnant with the twins, after such a long and tortuous journey to conceive, she would find herself struck by the sheer magic of it—as though the universe had given them a gift, finally rewarding them after having gone through so much together. It was overwhelming.
"It's a miracle, love. Our lives, the kids, it's all a miracle." His whisper became awed as he notched his chin on her shoulder. "I love you so much, Hermione."
Hermione's emotions threatened to bubble over as she twisted in his arms to face him, her hands coming to his chest. "I love you infinitely, Draco."
He smirked before closing the distance between them and pressing his lips to hers in a quiet, private kiss.
The next few days went by in a blur. Hermione had watched while Draco spent hours teaching Leo and Lyra how to fly on their new brooms—all the while doing her level best (and utterly failing) at not screaming for them to be careful every five minutes.
Luckily, it had been Draco's turn to panic as Hermione began teaching them to ride their bikes.
"It's just unnatural, Hermione! Look at those contraptions! They don't even look structurally sound!"
Hermione had laughed for hours at that.
Finally, though, they had returned home from their visit at the Manor, seemingly getting back to their lives—at least, that's what Draco thought.
Until, as he sat with Hermione drinking tea and reading the paper on the morning of December 30th, the floo activated and a very satisfied-looking Narcissa glided through.
"Mum! What are you doing here? Is everything alright?"
Narcissa put her hand over her heart. "Am I not simply allowed to pay a visit to my favorite people and their parents?" She raised a brow and smirked as Draco snorted and stood up, stepping into the living room to give her a kiss on the cheek.
"Well I'm afraid you're stuck with the runners-up, mother. Your favorite people are still asleep. As it turns out, riding a bicycle is quite the exhausting workout." His derision was clear in his words, causing Hermione to roll her eyes and stick out her tongue when he looked back at her.
A mischievous twinkle appeared in Narcissa's eye as she pulled back, patting Draco softly on his cheek before stepping out of his hold.
"Ah, I'm afraid not, son. As it turns out, I'm here to carry out my part in a bit of light subterfuge."
Draco turned his head to the side, confused. "What are you talking about, mum? What subterfuge?"
Hermione cleared her throat from behind them and stood, sauntering over to her husband. "My subterfuge, of course." She grinned as Draco narrowed his eyes.
"You know, I never got you back for surprising me with that portkey to Chamonix when we got engaged—and I figured, why not now?" Hermione reached into her pocket and pulled out a cracked pocket watch that was missing its chain, dangling it in front of Draco as the wheels turned behind his eyes.
"Narcissa is here to take care of the kids, and we're already packed," Hermione inclined her head toward two small, shrunken bags she had set near the front door last night, "So now all you have to do is put your shoes on."
Draco stared at her for a beat before a smile spread across his face and he stepped forward, his hand coming out to grip her around the waist as he brought their foreheads together.
"Sneaky, love. Very sneaky." He pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "I like it."
He pulled away quickly, running for the stairs as Hermione giggled.
"I imagine that you are about to have quite the good time, dear." Hermione looked over at Narcissa, who had her arms crossed over her chest and was waggling her eyebrows suggestively.
Hermione scrunched her nose. "Mum!"
Narcissa just shrugged and turned, walking into the kitchen to make herself some tea. "Oh now, don't be a prude Hermione. I do understand what took place in order to make me a grandmother, you know!"
Hermione had barely been able to hoist her jaw off the floor by the time that Draco bounded down the stairs, now fully dressed, shoes and all.
"Are we ready?" He called, excitedly, as he moved toward the door and grabbed the two bags off the floor.
Shaking off her shock, Hermione smiled, looking down at the portkey that had just started to glow blue.
With a private smile just for him, she nodded and walked forward as Draco opened the front door. Turning back a final time, she called to Narcissa.
"We'll be back mid-morning on the first!"
From the kitchen, the older witch called back. "If you arrive home any earlier than 5pm that day, I will not babysit for you for an entire month!"
With a chuckle and shake of their respective heads, Draco and Hermione stepped out into the crisp morning as Hermione outstretched her hand so that Draco could grab on to the portkey just as she felt the familiar tug behind her navel.
In a matter of seconds, the couple landed in the center of a massive, newly remodeled and furnished living room, a fire roaring in a large fireplace, and enormous arched, floor-to-ceiling windows revealing a large terrace and gorgeous skyline beyond.
Hermione smiled as Draco slowly turned, taking the space in before he stepped toward the windows, now seeing the wide river bisecting the city below, and beyond, the Eiffel Tower rising in the distance.
"Paris?" He asked, turning back to Hermione.
She nodded. "Paris."
He turned his head once again around the room. "Whose apartment is this?"
A Cheshire cat smile spread across Hermione's face. "Ours."
Draco stopped in his tracks and whipped his head back around to her. "What?!"
Excitement zinged through her at his reaction. Hermione knew how much Draco loved Paris, and that if he had any regrets at all about his life it was that he had never lived in the city, able to walk out the door and meander through the streets, taking in everything that the City of Light had to offer.
Hermione stepped forward, herself taking in the space she had barely had the chance to walk through the evening prior when she snuck away for twenty minutes.
"Technically, it's been yours for years. This apartment has been owned by the Black family since the building was built in 1883. But no one has lived here in three generations, and before I set Pansy loose in here, it was pretty much a disaster. But I have to say, I think she's really outdone herself. And in quite a short timeframe. We may owe her another Christmas gift. Or twenty…"
Hermione turned, taking in the large, open living room with new, plush couches and chairs, antique rugs, and updated chandeliers that managed to preserve the historical aspects of the space while also adding a modern touch.
"I'm having it connected to our house floo right now, so that we can come here whenever we want on the weekends, holidays, the kids' school breaks…"
She continued her assessment of the space. On one side was an enormous kitchen complete with top-of-the-line appliances, and out the doors on the terrace was an enormous outdoor dining table along with at least three different seating areas.
Down the hallway Hermione knew that there were enough bedrooms to comfortably fit twelve people, and up the staircase was an additional lounge area, an office, a library, and another terrace.
As Hermione took the place in, she didn't realize that Draco was stalking toward her, a mix of awe and hunger in his eyes.
He brought her into his arms, one of his hands snaking around her, his fingers creeping under the hem of her shirt to press against the warm skin of her back, the other slowly trailing up her arm until he reached her neck, holding her tightly.
"You did this for me?" His tone was unreadable.
Hermione shrugged, throwing him a smirk. "Happy Christmas, Draco."
His eyes sparkled before turning dark. "And you kept it a secret?" His tone was deadly and dripping with desire.
Hermione bit her lip and nodded.
Draco pulled her into him until their bodies were flush with each other and Hermione could feel the growing bulge in his pants.
"Keeping secrets is very naughty, love. Do you like being naughty?" He pressed his fingers into her skin for emphasis.
Hermione hummed in satisfaction. "It depends. Are you going to punish me for it?" His eyes went molten as he stared back at her for a beat before crushing their lips together.
Heat immediately began to course through Hermione's body as she returned the kiss in kind, her own hands roaming under the hem of Draco's shirt, lightly scratching along his abs until he let out a moan, the hand that had been on her lower back coming to grab the flesh of her ass as she took the opportunity to push her tongue inside his mouth.
The kiss was desperate and rough, a promise of things to come.
But before Draco took charge, as Hermione knew he would, she removed her hands from his stomach and deftly removed his belt, unzipped his trousers, tucked her fingers under the waistband of his pants and underwear, pulled her mouth from his, and dropped to her knees in one fluid motion.
Before Draco could react, she reached her hands forward, one coming to steady herself on his hip and the other wrapping around his hard cock as she leaned forward, swirling her tongue around the head before immediately taking him as deep as she could down her throat.
"Fuck, Hermione!" Draco exclaimed, his own hand shooting out to tangle in her hair as he groaned in pleasure.
His sounds only urged Hermione on, as she felt the heat pooling in her core with each movement.
After a moment, she grazed his sensitive skin with the barest amount of her teeth, causing Draco to yell out in ecstacy and pull on her hair—hard.
The sting of it caused Hermione to moan wantonly around Draco's shaft, and the sound mixed with the vibration against his skin seemed to pull him out of his reverie. Draco pulled again on her hair, his other hand coming to her shoulder to lift her off of him.
"That's enough, love." He panted as she got to her feet, before capturing her lips again in another heated kiss.
He pulled back and a shiver went through Hermione as she saw the look of sheer power and want in his eyes.
With a signature Malfoy smirk, he brought a single finger up to trace along her lips and down the column of her throat. "My turn."
Without preamble, he lifted Hermione off the ground, her legs coming to wrap around his waist as he kissed her again and began to walk down the hallway.
Pulling back just for a moment, she breathed "second door on the left" before recapturing Draco's lips and grinding her core against his hard cock.
She heard more than saw Draco kick open the door to their room, walking across the large expanse of space before depositing her in the center of the enormous four-poster bed, covered in a deep blue velvet duvet.
Hermione took him in, his countenance one of a prowling lion regarding its feast.
"Now, what am I going to do with you, hmm?" He murmured.
Hermione's heartbeat sped up as her breaths came out in quick pants.
A slow smile spread across his lips. "I think I have just the thing…"
And with that, he lifted his hand and wandlessly vanished all of her clothes and conjured a set of deep emerald silk ties.
Instantly, Hermione's fingers dug into the fabric of the duvet as she arched her back and let out a choked moan.
Draco's eyes narrowed and she saw his own breathing speed up.
But before he moved forward with his plan, he stepped around the bed, coming up to place his hand on the side of Hermione's cheek gently, his thumb rubbing soothingly back and forth.
"Yes?" He looked in her eyes as he asked the question.
Gods , Hermione thought, he's fucking perfect .
Draco loved to take charge in the bedroom, and Hermione loved it when he did, but her desire was made all the more potent with the fact that she knew down to her very core that he would always ask for her permission, always ensure that she wanted to take the next step, before ever acting on it.
She squirmed on the bed, her thighs squeezing together for the friction.
"Yes, Draco. Please!"
His thumb brushed again against her cheek before he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips before whispering. "Don't worry, love, I'm going to take care of you."
And with that, he took one of the ties in his hand and, with a final nod of consent from Hermione, tied it around her eyes, blocking out her vision.
Immediately, it felt to Hermione that all of her other senses were heightened. She could swear that her skin was vibrating as she felt the bed dip as Draco sat down next to her.
His breath ghosted over her ear as he leaned in, his hand barely grazing over the swell of her breast and down over her stomach, stopping just before her pubic bone.
"I'm going to tie your hands, love. You won't be able to touch me. I just want you to feel it."
Hermione's back arched off the bed as she keened.
She heard Draco chuckle softly as he reached over and grasped her wrist, delicately pulling her arm up and sliding the silk around her wrist, securing it tightly before she felt him tie it to the post of the bed.
She yelped as his mouth came down to lick her nipple as he moved across her body before repeating his work with her other wrist.
When she was secured, she felt Draco stand up and heard his soft footsteps as he rounded the bed. She could feel his eyes on her, as though her skin was electrified everywhere his eyes landed.
"You drive me crazy, love." His tone was velvety as he spoke. "The things you do. The way you speak. Your body." He paused as Hermione released another moan. "The sounds you make…" She could hear the smile in his voice.
"I want to drive you crazy." He whispered, before his lips came down against her foot, his long fingers wrapping around her ankle.
Hermione shuddered at the feeling of it as he began a slow ascent, his lips brushing against her, his tongue licking a line up her leg, around her knee, and along the inside of her thigh before pulling away just before he reached where she needed him the most, causing her to let out a groan.
He laughed. "Uh uh, my love. You're going to have to wait."
Switching sides, he repeated his journey up her other leg before his lips pressed kisses into her hip bone, his tongue then traversing a line across her lower abdomen as Hermione squirmed and pulled against her restraints.
She felt the warmth of his body suspended over her as his tongue licked a line between her breasts before his hand finally came to squeeze one as he sucked the opposite nipple into his mouth.
The sensation was near to overwhelming, electricity shooting straight to her core as she yelled and moaned as Draco circled his tongue around her hard, sensitive nipple.
Hermione was sure that if he continued, she would be able to come just from this.
But to her frustration, just as she began to feel the pressure building between her legs, he pulled away, suddenly pushing off from the bed entirely.
"Look at you, love." Hermione felt the satisfaction of knowing that at least he sounded as affected as she felt. "Your skin is so warm and flushed for me. Your lips are so swollen." She suddenly felt his thumb ghost against her mouth as she tried to reach her head up to follow his touch before he pulled away.
"I bet you're swollen down here as well, aren't you?" His fingertips touched against her belly before sliding down, down, over her mound and lower, sliding easily through her soaking folds.
The barest touch nearly sent her over the edge. Hermione cried out from the pleasure of it.
"Hmm, you're so wet for me, Hermione."
She nodded furiously as his fingers swept through her core.
"Please, Draco."
He pulled his hand away.
"Please what, love?"
Her head swung back and forth against the pillows. "Please touch me. Please!"
He hummed. "Touch you how, sweetheart? Like this?"
Without warning, he sunk a single finger inside of her, causing her to scream.
"That's it, love. That's what I want to hear." He crooked his finger, pressing against the spot on her front wall that drove her wild.
"More! Please Draco! Please!" She called out, desperately.
Instead, he slowly removed his finger and once again stepped away from the bed.
As Hermione writhed, she heard him suck his finger into his mouth and moan as he licked it clean.
"Gods, you taste divine, love. I need more…"
Before she could prepare herself, Draco's tongue was lapping between her folds and all the way up to her clit.
If Hermione had been able to think beyond the sensation of it, she would have been grateful for the centuries-old wards around the apartment that made it entirely soundproof.
But instead, all she could think about was the feeling of Draco's tongue between her legs, and how close she was to shattering.
She brought her legs up around his head, squeezing for a moment before he reached his hand to wrap around her inner thigh, wrenching it away and holding her open to him.
Her mewls were becoming more and more desperate, but just as she was about to tip over the edge into her orgasm, Draco pulled back, his weight once again disappearing from the bed.
This time her scream was in frustration.
He just chuckled. "This is your punishment, love. You don't get to come until I decide that you can."
His voice was gravely, and it only served to drive Hermione's desire higher.
He was suddenly back again, this time his tongue swirling just her clit while his other hand reached up to massage her breast.
Once again he drove her just to the peak before pulling back.
Tears ran down the sides of her eyes as Hermione pulled against her binds, desperate to grab for Draco, to force him to keep going.
It was the most delicious kind of torture.
After a moment, Draco lowered his mouth to her again, but this time he thrust two fingers inside of her, curling and pressing exactly how she liked it.
Her moans were uncontrolled now, the pleasure sparking through her whole body.
Draco pulled back for just a moment. "Ok, love, that's enough. I need to feel you. Come for me, Hermione, come in my mouth. Please, baby."
He lowered his mouth back onto her, sucking her clit hard between his lips, and that was all it took.
It was as though a bomb went off inside her body. She was certain that she had shattered into a million pieces. The ecstasy of it coursed through every atom of her body, every single piece of her soul.
Hermione didn't know how long her orgasm lasted, but when she eventually started to come down, she felt Draco making his way up her body, kissing and licking until his head was even with hers.
Suddenly, the blindfold around her eyes and the binds on her wrists disappeared, and she opened her eyes to look directly into the molten mercury of Draco's above her as he came to rest between her thighs.
"Fuck, love. I need you. I need you so badly."
Hermione grasped his shoulders with her hands and brought her legs to wrap around his hips, urging him forward.
"Take me, Draco. Please take me."
Keeping his eyes on hers, he pushed inside of her, inch by inch, until he was seated fully. They both groaned at the sensation of it all.
"Gods you feel so good, you always feel so good."
Draco pulled almost all the way out before snapping his hips forward, setting a bruising, perfect pace that immediately began driving Hermione toward yet another mind-bending orgasm.
Draco whispered words into her ear as he moved. How much he loved her. How good she was. How precious. How desperate he was for her.
Until finally, while staring into her eyes, they came apart together, Hermione's vision going white as she floated away from her body.
At some point later, it could have been hours for all Hermione knew, she finally cracked her eyes open as Draco rolled off of her, lying on his back next to her and looking positively wrecked.
"I loved my gift, Hermione." He breathed.
"I loved my punishment, Draco." She responded, before snuggling into the crook of his arm.
After a well-deserved nap (and a much-needed shower), the pair rode the elevator to the bottom floor of the building and stepped out into the bright, brisk December day in Paris.
They spent the next twenty-four hours just wandering.
Wandering in and out of muggle shops in Le Marais and the Quartier Latin, looking through the wizarding businesses in the Place Chachée, before stopping for coffee and pastries, or wine and pastries, or wine and delicious french cuisine at local brasseries.
It wasn't until after they had finished a long and leisurely dinner after 11pm on New Years Eve that Hermione leaned in to reveal something to Draco.
"I have another surprise for you." She teased.
He leaned across the table, grasping her hands in his. "Is that so?"
She nodded and stood, pulling him with her and out the door of Le Procope, one of the oldest brasseries in Paris.
With Draco trailing behind, Hermione pulled them into a dark alley before, with a wink, turning on the spot and apparating them away.
They landed on an empty rooftop, the wind whipping through their hair before Hermione waved her wand to cast protection and warming charms.
Draco turned, quickly realizing where they were.
"Montparnasse Tower? Where are all the other people?" He walked slowly over to the edge of the rooftop, peering through the glass to look at the panorama of the city and the unobstructed view of the Eiffel Tower.
Hermione shrugged and stepped forward, allowing him to wrap her in his arms.
"You know, you really can do a lot with money. Including buying out this entire rooftop for the night."
Draco threw his head back and let out a laugh.
"Well, it only took you…fifteen years? To understand the value of being filthy rich? I hope the world is ready for you, Hermione Granger-Malfoy. Lord knows what you'll do now. Call in the Royal Family's debts and turn Buckingham Palace into a pixie sanctuary?"
Hermione leaned into him as they walked forward and took in the view.
"Now there's an idea."
Draco wrapped her in his arms and they stood in comfortable silence for a while as the clock counted down toward midnight.
Finally, with just a few moments left until the new year dawned, Draco murmured to her.
"Let's do this again next year. I'm sure mum would be thrilled to take the kids."
Hermione had to fight to control her smile.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea." She brought her hand up to play with the buttons on his jacket.
Draco made a questioning sound. "Why not?"
"Well, I think we're going to be quite tired by this time next year." Hermione responded, now utterly failing to hide the emotion in her voice.
Hearing it, Draco pulled back, gripping her shoulders with his hands and looking her up and down curiously.
He tilted his head. "What do you mean, love?"
Hermione bit her lip against her smile. "I lied to you, Draco. None of this," she waved her arms around the rooftop, "was your real surprise."
Draco's eyes widened as he took her in. "What's my real surprise, love? Why can't we do this again next year?" His voice was barely above a whisper.
Hermione stepped back, grasping his hand in one of hers as her other hand gripped her wand and pointed it at herself.
"Well, the baby will only be about four months old, and I just think we'll be quite busy, you know?"
Draco reared back. "Baby?" His voice was choked.
Hermione flicked her wand and spoke the incantation before nodding. "Baby."
She squeezed Draco's hand as their heads dropped in unison to look at the bright gold sparks illuminated around Hermione's abdomen.
Hermione heard Draco's sharp intake of breath. His hand gripped hers like a vice.
"You…" His head snapped up and down, between her eyes and the sparks still shining around her stomach. "You're…pregnant?" He whispered the last word like a prayer.
Silent tears began to make their way down Hermione's cheeks as she nodded. "I'm pregnant, Draco. We're going to have another baby."
His eyes held on hers as he brought his other hand cautiously up to rest on her belly.
"I didn't think…I never thought we'd be able to…"
Hermione sniffed and nodded. "Neither did I. But I'd been feeling a bit off last week and something inside me just told me that I should check. And, well, here we are!"
Draco's eyes, which had gone misty, suddenly cleared.
"A week? You've known about this for a week?!"
Hermione shrugged. "Yes?"
Draco's jaw dropped.
"I know! I know! I just…last time everything was so fraught and I…well, I wanted to make this a happy surprise for you. At least, I…hope it's a happy surprise?"
Her words were tentative as Draco looked back at her, shock evident in his features.
It took a moment for her words to sink in before he shook his head to clear it and looked back at her, tears now running freely down his face.
He placed both of his hands on her cheeks. "Happy? This is the happiest I have ever been, love! Leo and Lyra are going to have a sibling? We're going to have another baby?" He threw his head back and laughed. "WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY!"
Draco surged forward, pulling Hermione into his arms and spinning her around before he suddenly stopped and set her down, concern written on his face. "Oh gods, I'm sorry! Are you ok? Are you nauseous? I shouldn't have! You should be in bed! Your feet should be up! What are we…what am I?" Draco frantically turned his head back and forth as Hermione stared back, laughing.
"Draco, darling, it's fine. I'm fine." She rubbed her hands up and down his arms as his gaze landed back on her. "Thanks to my anti-nausea potion, I'm not feeling any sickness at all, and although I'll never say no to putting my feet up, this is exactly where I want to be right now, celebrating with you."
Draco stared into her eyes for a moment, his own softening and filling with the deepest, purest love. After a beat, he kneeled in front of her and pressed a soft kiss into her stomach before standing back up and repeating the same cherished motion with her lips.
"This is the most incredible gift you could ever give me, Hermione," he whispered, awed.
Hermione leaned into him, nodding.
"Happy New Year, Draco." She whispered in return.
As the clock struck twelve and the lights on the Eiffel Tower began to sparkle, the rest of the world faded away for Hermione and Draco as they kissed under the stars, the thrill of their next chapter unfolding before them.